52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 59

Joanna Theresia De Vos (1769-1821)

Joanna Theresia De Vos was born on 5 May 1769ⁱ in Lembecke, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium and died on 8 Jan 1821ⁱⁱ in Kaprijke, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium. She was the daughter of Simon and Maria Jacoba (Van Vooren) De Vos. She married on 2 May 1795ⁱⁱⁱ in Kaprijke Engelbert Vermussche born about 1768 in Kaprijke and died after 1847.

Joanna was a spinner, a woman who spun fibers to create thread that could then be used to make cloth. She was also literate; she signed her name in the parish register when she married. I don't know enough about Flemish culture in the late 18^th century to speculate about what this says about the De Vos family and their circumstances. But I do know that it is very unusual to have an ancestor who can sign her name. To find the signature of a third great grandmother is a real thrill.

Children of Engelbert and Joanna Theresia (De Vos) Vermussche, all born in Kaprijke:

1. Angelina Vermussche. b. 21 Feb 1796.
2. Petronella Theresia Vermussche. b. 8 Feb 1803.
3. Charles Bernard Vermussche b. 10 Feb 1805, m on 9 Apr 1838 in Kaprijke Florentina Van Laere, b. 17 Mar 1811 in Sint Laureins, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium.
4. Joannes Bernardus Vermussche b. 24 Sep 1807.
5. Marie Caroline Vermussche b. 13 Dec 1810, d. 12 Feb 1885, m. on 17 Nov 1847 Carolus Franciscus Dobbelaere, b. 18 Dec 1809 and d, 21 Apr 1890.
6. Rosalia Vermussche, b. 5 Feb 1816.

i Catholic Church of Lembeke Parochial Registers, 1628-1802, “Dopen, trouwen, begraven, 1722-1778, baptism of Joanna Theresia De Vos, 1769; digital images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 9 Dec 2018), film 798,389, item 4.

ii “Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand, 1796-1870”, death of Joanna Theresia De Vos, 1821, entry #2; digital images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 Jul 2014), film 784,185.

iii Catholic Church of Kaprijke Parochial Registers, 1618-1802, “Dopen, huwelijken, overlijdens, 1794-1796”, Vermussche – De Vos marriage 1795; digital images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 12 Dec 2018), film 4,454,571.